Barbados and MeGreat Banter. Great Place. Great Company. Great People. Great Trip.

Day 1Aaaarrgh 4 am alarm clock going off. Time to get up and get ready to get through to Glasgow Airport for my 7:45 am flight. Didn’t help that I stayed up to watch the Groves vs. Degale fight the night before. Great result for Groves by the way.Made it to the airport about 5:45 (found out later that Tom the producer was absolutely bricking it as he thought I was going to miss the flight because I wasn’t answering my phone). Going through security me, julyan and tom got a laugh at the usual arseholes that go to the airport with their football strips on, fannies! Flight to Gatwick was the usual and landed with a few hours to kill before the big flight over Barbados.

Going through our second boarding we found out that we got an upgrade to business class on our flight (Yaldy, could not believe it) A 3 course meal, several complimentary grolsch made the 7 and a ½ hour flight bearable, especially when we figured out that we could get our seats all the way down.

Got met by Alison from the Barbados Tourist Authority at the airport, we could see her assets before we seen our names on the sign. Then met Chris our driver for the week and he got us laughing with his very first line, “I don’t do Plant and I love Jesus”, his banter and knowledge of the island was second to none.

Our hotel is right on the West Coast of the island called Waves, we looked a bit out of place as it was an all inclusive couples hotel, we got a cheeky wee rum punch as a welcome. Then we got our rooms, I managed to get one of the honeymoon suites (King Size Bed, bathroom, shower room, 2 couches and a massive balcony) the lads got a room to share. The banter quietened down after this announcement. Had a quick change then managed to meet up with the guys for tea, nobody spoke during dinner we were all that tired. Had a quick Banks (that’s a beer, not rhyming slang for anything) then headed up to bed. Managed to fall asleep even thought the hotels entertainment that night was a “singer” who was murdering Marvin Gaye’s ‘sexual healing’. It was 10pm I had been up 22 hours.

Day 2Woke up at 5.30 am wide-awake, not settled into the time zone and it was pretty bright. Found out the sunrises and sunsets in Barbados at 6.30 am and 6.30 pm respectively. Went downstairs for breakfast; cannae beat sausages and bacon in 25 c heat.

Went down on the beach, as we wanted to film a ‘link’. Was basically me walking along the beach and talking about how I was going to cook some Haggis for the bajans (locals). Before we could even film Wendell approached us. “Guys I can get you Bob Marley or Charlie Chaplin. It wasnae even 8:30. His finishing line was “Remember I’m your cousin” Every time I did the impression I sounded more Irish than bajun.Filmed the link then we went into the kitchen to cook Haggis, Neeps and Tatties with a bajan twist. Chef Max who was really good to give us access to the kitchens and some ingredients. He tasted it and thought it was Swiss Bliss. Then we filmed vox pops with the staff and guests at the hotel, it went down well with everyone then we met the Barbados Nigella “mmmn that’s delicious, mmmmn” the hilarious thing was she was about 65 and had 3 teeth.

Drove around with GoPro camera fixed to the windscreen that would pick up shots of Barbados and significant landmarks. Got to film at the Kensington Oval, we got in no bother and even got to film another link on the pitch. Tom and me were hyper as were cricket fans, julyan wasnae really bothered.Chris then took us in to the centre of Bridgetown so we could film the opening links for the whole trip, we did a link on the bridge then seen the war monument and got to have a look at all the Scottish surnames on there. We shot at the nelson’s statue, independence arch and square. Finished filming and got back to the hotel about 5.30, went in the Jacuzzi and pool. Beats a 5.30-pint any day of the week.Had some tea, I opted for Flying Fish Gougons to start and a Pepper Pot (Braised Beef, Lamb, Pork and Chicken) with rice. It was absolutely brilliant and was great to eat traditional bajun dishes.After tea we filmed making cocktails with Maureen the bar manageress. I got shown to make 3 cocktails and had a wee bit too much fun tasting them, my favourite was the Bob Marley (Grenadine, OJ, Blue Courseau and Rum) After a couple of takes was a bit drunk. Had a beer to celebrate the end of our first day filming and went to bed it was 10pm.